And it was made worse for Hibs because it SHOULDN’T have been awarded in the first place.

Pat Fenlon’s side looked on course for the three points they needed to go back into fourth place when James McPake struck and Leigh Griffiths scored a wonder goal to put them in front.

They had conceded a shocker early on when Williams booted off John Rankin’s back for a freakish opening goal.

But it was ref Alan Muir’s decision to award a spot-kick for a foul by Ryan McGivern on Gary Mackay-Steven — despite the contact being a FOOT outside the box — that cost them dear.

It gave United a precious point but knocked Hibs off course in their bid to return to the top four.

Despite saying he still sees himself as a striker, United skipper Jon Daly was again slotted in at the heart of defence alongside Brian McLean.

Daly, a transfer target for Hibs at the end of the season, finds himself in the unusual position of being the club’s most effective targetman AND the best defender.

With United leaking goals McNamara has decided he needs the Irishman to shore up the team’s rearguard, with Sean Dillon shifted to left-back.

It wasn’t United’s defence that was the problem, though.

Hibs endured a torrid time at Tannadice on the opening day of the season and got off to the worst possible start again here, conceding after just seven minutes.

Faced with no danger and a perfectly good passback from Jorge Claros, Hibs keeper Ben Williams somehow managed to magic up a candidate for the 2013 Christmas bloopers dvd.

Williams, who has made his name saving penalty kicks this season, was much less effective coming off his line as his dithering allowed Rankin to charge down his attempted clearance.

The United man took a gamble, jumping with his back to the ball and got lucky as it smashed off him before looping into the net. It was very lucky but a reward for persistence.

Hibs had actually started well and nearly levelled on 12 minutes when Paul Cairney, one of McNamara’s players at Partick Thistle last season, found space to shoot in the box but his low drive hit keeper Rado Cierzniak on the foot.

Hibs struggled to contain the pace of Gary Mackay-Steven and were fortunate to get away unpunished on 20 minutes when he got in behind the defence.

Played in by a well-weighted Willo Flood pass, the youngster had time to pick his spot but blazed wide.

United were being spurred on by the increasingly impressive Stuart Armstrong and saw him blaze a shot over the bar.

And then their goal was threatened again when Taiwo picked up a flick from Griffiths but his dipping shot flew over.

The former Carlisle man was involved in the equaliser, though, as Hibs drew level on 27 minutes — although United’s defending was flaky.

Advancing towards United’s box, Taiwo was brought down by Keith Watson, who was penalised for what was deemed a reckless lunge — despite him winning the ball.

That allowed Griffiths to whip the ball into the six-yard box in search of green shirts. Unfortunately for United the delivery caused panic, with Cierzniak coming off his line and failing to gather and it was too easy for McPake to head home.

That boosted Hibs and they could have gone ahead three minutes later when Cairney again pinged a decent shot on target but this time Daly blocked.

Griffiths was clearly pumped up for the occasion and had tormented United at times, dropping deep off the two centre-halves before running at them.

And it was a run from deep — a breakaway following a United corner in fact — which unlocked the Tangerines.

Griffiths collected and zoned in on goal, stepping over the ball and cutting inside to throw Rankin off the scent before lashing an unstoppable, dipping shot past Cierzniak from 30 yards.

That sparked a change of thinking from McNamara. He moved Daly to more familiar surroundings up front alongside Johnny Russell. Barry Douglas replaced Richie Ryan, moving in at left-back so Dillon could return to centre-back.

Shooting from distance seemed United’s best chance and they gave Williams plenty to worry about on 68 minutes with a Rankin ‘squiggler’ which flew just over.

Griffiths’ afternoon then came to an end, a precautionary move after he had been checked by the physio just moments before.

The Scotland international had taken a kick so boss Fenlon replaced him with Eoin Doyle.

Armstrong was next to try for United, sending a looping header towards goal but Williams pushed it over.

The equaliser should have come with seven minutes left when Rankin whipped in a great cross between Daly and Michael Gardyne — but they got in each other’s way and the ball hit the latter before clipping the bar.

United then claimed for a penalty when Russell went down under a challenge from Paul Hanlon but ref Alan Muir waved their appeals away.

He wasn’t so dismissive a minute later though, when Mackay-Steven was felled by McGivern. Hibs claimed it was outside the box and appeared to have a case, but the ref pointed to the spot and United salvaged a point.